Waterproof electric fitting



R; B. BENJAMIN WATERPROOF ELECTRIC FITTING Dem 1s 1923. A l1,478,167

Filed oct. 1s. 1913 Patented Een; l, i923.

igualar nnnisnn n. BENJAMIN; on'oiiicnoo, trainers; f'ssit-Tirionl fro BnnanMIii/niinornic nonno, inninors, n oo'nr'onaroitorriinnos.

MANFACTURNG COMPANY,

VATERPROOE"ELECTRC l-.TTTNGL' Application filecilctbcr- 18, 1318.A Serial-No. 25S745 To' cri-ZZ fw 7507,12 may. concern.'

Be. itlniown vthat l, Enr-nenn B. BENJAMIN,

a: citizen of the United States, residing; at Chicago, in thev county'o'i'lV Coolcandiltateedl or'usein the open where they will be' subj eci-te d to all kinds of. weather.y conditi ons or tor use in places where subjected to the action oi vapors or fumes fro-in water, oil or other chemicali substances 'lilie invention is concernedrniore particula-rlywith-af littingoifthis general class which is adapted forthe connection oi an electric lani'pandin which the lainp is 'protected by a globe whichl issecured to the iitti'ng;

The principal'objectl offthe inventionis to' provide a iittingfotfthis particular type which-will prove water-tight under. all con I ditions; oiv use andl particularly soin case' the globe-is bro-ken and the'fitting'leit exposed in this condition.v lii'vin-y device the" water-proof joints are all maintained independently of the globe and consequently the breaking ot thelatter or its entire removal will not lessen the eiiciencyV of the device` as water-prooi fitting .i-inotlier objectoi'` the invention is to provide construction in which all the parts niay be readily assembled and adjusted. ln one re spoot this result is obtained by closing one sideof the box of the fitting, by a flexible water-proof gasket and allowing the socket contacts to extend through an' opening in i this gasket. These and other objects, i'eatures and advantages of iny invention will be inore fully understood upon referring to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accoin an iino" drawing- E v J7 and the scope of 'the invention will be par'- ticularly pointed out in the appended clainis;

ln said drawing,

Fig. l is aside'elevation of a fitting constructedV in accordance with iny invention, parts beingvbrolcn away and parts shown in acentral verticalsection; v

Fig. 2 is -a horizontal sectional View taken on'V a' plaine vindicatedV by' the; line' 2*-2 of' Fig: lg.

Fig; a 1vertical.sectionlo'fthe socket ineinber'andl connecting. gasket taken on planen indicatedg by the" liiie-v 3-3' ot'llig. 2 and.

Fig.. Arisa detail vertical section'. taken on a'plane indioatedby the linee-4 oi Fig'; Throughoutithese views', like chairacters` refer? to likeparts;`

Referring to; the drawing in detail, l0-

designates a bon or housing for enclosing tiie wiring le'ading to theterininalsoirthe socket base il which constitutes as wiring' This benin-the-l base and contact support; present instance isa bulk-lieadiitting pro'- vided at' one side with a flange ,l2 by 'whichit may be securedlto a bulhtheaidlor'other suitable support and iat `the other; side Awith1 a.: iiange to whicli thelglobelretaining" ineinberz or ringfik s connected; Tfhe latter connection may bei nia-1de f in any'desired Lway as toriy example by the" screws!y l5.r`r passing? through openings in the ring;` 14; into erigargernent with threaded openingsin? the" flange 13.'. In' the present instance, the b'oX l0 is provided'with a; lugl.v and ra bridging meinber l? which. serve as `suppiirts fiorrtheY The base li of' the electric socket' nieinber.v base il is Aprovided 'with Alaterally extending.

portions 12 which arenotched for. the rel' ception` or 'retaining'. screws f 18 which pass into threaded-openings inthe lug 16' and ineinber li'. 'lheubase"` l1' inay bei readily' detached by simply loosening the' screws f8 and slight-ijfY rotatinou the bases() 'aste .tree

it from the screws. By tighteningth'e screwsthe base will be-securel'yheld' ini pla-ce1 vThe base l2 is provided witha center YcontactV 19 and. an outer shell 1 Contact 20L These are the usual contacts lfor''connection to lthe terminalsof:V an incandescent lan-ip suchn'as `the lamp-.21. The center' ContactI is i yieldingatiits contacting end as clearly'. il-f lustrated; y At! its non-contacting endl" it isv rigid-ly 'held by a retaining screw 22 which passes through openings 'in termina-l .plateev 23', base ll and'contactlS). A nut? 9A se'' curely holds ythe partey together. The termi'- nal plate '23 is provided withan'f rrp-turnedlll ing in the base 11. The shell contact `is provided with a flange 27 which extends around a. considerable portion oli lits circumference and serves to form a bearing for engagement with the face of the base lts flange is provided with threeopenings for the passage of the retaining screws 28. These screws pass through openings in the base 11 and at least one of them extends through an opening in a terminal plate 29 which is provided with; a lug 30 and bindin screw 31 which are similar to the terminall connections associated with the centery contact 19. The circuit is completed through the lamp by way of terminal plate 23,screw 22 and center contact 19 to one lamp terminal and by way of terminal plate 29, screw' 23 and shell contact 2O to the otherI lamp terminal. The shell contact 2O is formed so as.

to provide an inner and louter thread. The inner thread is for engagement with the correspondingly threaded lamp terminal and the outer thread is for engagement with the clamping ring or member 32.

The box 10 with its terminal connect-ions is rendered water-tight by means of a gasket which is perforated atits center for the passage of the contacts of the socket member. The perforation is such as to justpass The inner periphery the shell contact 20. ot' the gasket, `formed by this aperture, is securely clamped'in place by the member 32 being screwed upon the shell 20. The end of the member 32 forms an engaging lace which cooperates with a similar engaging face upon the base11 to tightly hold the gasket 33 in place and with suiiicient pressure to ymaintain a water-proof connection.

VThe outer periphery of the gasket 33 lies 14 is provided with a thread which cooper-j ates with the exterior thread formed upon the open end of the globe 34. This globe isV .of suiiicient size to enclose a lamp 21 and when screwed home bears against the gasket 33. In. case `the globe 34 should be broken to such an extent as'tojcause its threaded end to be disengaged from the ring 14 orin -case the globe should be entirely removed,

then the water-tight joint at the outer periphery of the gasket 33 would not beimpaired but would remain they same as when theglobe was in place.

The globe 34 is protected by a guard formed by the rods35 which are secured to a ring 36. lhisvring isprovided with an interior thread which` cooperates with a thread upon the exterior of the globe-retaining member 14, thus providing a compact and neat construction "for the' protecting guard.

In practice the conductors will be led through a suitable conduit into' the box 10 where they will be connected to the terminals of the 'socket member by means of the binding screws 26 and 31. ln order to place the lamp 21 in position kit will obviously be necessary to remove the ring 36 and the globe 34. At such time, as well as in case ot the accidental breaking of the globe the interior of thebox 1G will be thoroughly protected from the weather or injurious efiects such as might arise by the presence of objectionable gases, fumes or-.vapors W'hat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. A water-proof electric fitting comprising a box having an open side, an electric socket base secured within said box and extending in the direction ot' saidl open side,

proof gasket secured at its outer periphery between said globe-retaining member. and said box and at its inner periphery between said clamping member and said base.

suitable socket contacts on said base, a

2. Aj. water-proof electricrlitting comprising a box' having an open side, kan electric socket base secured vwithin said box and extending approximately to the plane of its open side, shell and center contacts secured A to said base, terminal connections for ysaid contacts on said base,- a clamping ring screwed on to the exterior 4or the shell contact, said ring having a clamping face cooperating with a like face on said base, a

`globe-retaininol membersecured to said. box n 2:'

globe-retaining member and said box and at its inner periphery between vthe clamping faces on said clampingring and base... .v

3. A water-proof electric fitting comprising a wiring base provided with wiring ll-Ok vabout its open side, and a water-proof gasket ysecured at its outer periphery between said terminals, ya housing for said wiring base` having an opening through which said wiring base is inserted into position, means f for mounting said wiringvbase in iixed posiv tion `in said housing,the edges oli-said opening being spaced asubstantial distance `trom saidwiring base, a gasket closing the space between the edges of said opening and said wiring base, means 'for clamping said gasket against the edge of said opening, means for clamping said gasket against said wiring base, and receptacle contacts mounted on ISIS said wiring base, said gasket being of yieldable, flexible material and mounted for flexible movement, whereby it may be flexed to accommodate itself to the position of the wiring base in the housing.

l. water-proof electric fitting comprising a wiring base provided with .wiring termina-ls, a housing for said wiring base having an opening through which said wiring base is inserted into position, means for mounting said wiring base in fixed position in said housing, the edges of said opening being spaced a substantial distance from said wiring base, a gasket closing the space between the edges of said opening and said wiring base, means for clamping said gasket against the edge of said opening, means for clamping said gasket against said wiring base, and receptacle contacts mounted. on said wiring base, said gasket being of yieldable, flexible material and mounted for flexible movement, whereby it may be flexed to accommodate itself to the position of the wiring base in the housing, said receptacle contact being mounted substantially outside said housing.

5. A water-proof electric fitting comprising wiring base provided with wiring terminals a housing for said wiring base having an opening through which said wiring base is inserted into position, means for mounting said wiring base in fixed position in said housing, the edges of said opening being spaced a substantial distance from said wiring base, a gasket closing the space between the edges of said opening and said wiring base, means for clamping said gasket against the edge of said opening, means for clamping said gasket against said wiring base, and receptacle contacts mounted on said wiring base, said gasket being of yieldable, flexible material and mounted for flexible movement, whereby it may be fiexed to accommodate itself to the position of the wiring base in the housing, and a globe for surrounding the lamp bulb in the socket.

6. A water-proof electric fitting comprising a wiring base provided with wiring` terminals, a housing for said wiringbasc having an opening through which said wiring base is inserted into position, means .for mounting said wiring base in fixed position in said housing, the edges of said opening being spaced a substantial distance from said wiring base, a gasket closing the space between the edges of said opening and said wiring base, means for clamping said gasket against the edge of said opening, means for clamping said gasket against said wiring base, and receptacle contacts mounted on said wiring base, said gasket being of yieldable, flexible material and mounted for flexible movement,

whereby it may be flexed to accommodate itself to the position of the wiring base in the housing, said receptacle contact being ing base is inserted into position in saidy housing, means for mounting said wiring base in said housing, lamp contacts mounted on said wiring base, a globe for enclosing the lamp yin said lamp-socket, a gasket adjacent the edges of said opening, and av clamping ring for clamping said gasket against said housing, said clampingring and globe being provided with inter-.enj gaging means whereby said globe may be detachably secured to said clamping ring and whereby said clamping ring will hold said gasket tight even when the said globe is broken or removed.

8. A water-proof electric fitting comprising a wiring base provided with wiring terminals, a housing for said wiring base Ahaving an opening through which said wiring base is inserted into position in said housing, means for mounting said wiringbase in said housing, lamp contacts mounted on said wiring base, a globe for enclosing the lamp in said lainp-socket, a gasket adjacent the edges of said opening, and a clamping ring for clamping said gasket against said housing, said clamping ring and globe being provided with inter-engaging means whereby said globe may be detacliably secured to said clamping ring, and whereby said clamping ring will hold said gasket tight even when the said globe is broken or removed, the inner edge of' said globe being in sealing engagement with said gasket.

9. A water-'proof electric fitting coinprising an insulating base provided with wiring terminals, a housing for said base having an opening through which said base is inserted into position, means for mounting said base in fixed position in said housing, fthe edges of said opening being placed a substantial distance from said base, a gasket closing the space between the edges of said opening and said base, means for clamping said gasket against the edges of said opening, a threaded shell contact mounted on said base substantially outside said housing, and means for clamping said gasket against said base comprising a sleeve threaded on the outside of said threaded shell contact,.

said gasket being of yieldable, flexible material and mounted for flexible movement whereby it may be flexed to accommodate itself to the position of the wiring base in the housing.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

`REUBlllbl B. BENJAMN. 

